Submarine periscopes



Jan. 18, 1966 J. M. STRANG ETAL 3,229,575

SUBMARINE PERISCOPES Filed May 28, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l AA JOHNM/LQr/A/ $jfi76 and @0559; GEORGE LA/Vf Wm w ttorney Jan. 18, 1966 M.STRANG ETAL 3,

SUBMARINE' PERISCOPES Filed May 28, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i In en 07 AJOHN MART/N JiQZ/V M1 ROBE/2T 6150265 LANE A ftorney Jan. 18, 1966 J, M.STRANG ET AL SUBMARINE PERISCOPES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 28, 1957Jan. 18, 1966 J M STRANG ETAL 3,229,575

SUBMARINE PERISCOPES Filed May 28, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 In enters JOHNMART/N smi e and ROBERT GE 265 LANE ttorney United States Patent3,229,575 SUBMARINE PERISCOIES John Martin Strang, Glasgow, Scotland,and Robert George Lane, London, England; said Strang assignor to Barrand Stroud Limited, Glasgow, Great Britain, a British company Filed May28, 1957, Ser. No. 662,293 Claims priority, application Great Britain,Aug. 23, 1956, 25,859/56 11 Claims. (Cl. 88-69) This invention relatesto submarine periscopes.

In operation of a submarine periscope it is common to stow it when outof use in the lower part of the submarine, and to elevate it from thestowed position for use. The periscope is heavy, and when in use it hascontinually to be turned from side to side about its vertical axis, i.e.rotating in azimuth (normally called training), while from time to timeit may be necesary slightly to raise or lower the periscope in thedirection of its axis. The observer has to keep watch when using theperiscope over long periods of cruising.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will relievethe strain on the observer and will be relatively simple in constructionand operation and will occupy a relatively small space.

The present invention is in combination a submarine periscope, aturntable having a mounting for an observers seat, means for turningsaid turntable wholly or partly around the periscope, and a detachabledriving connection between turntable and periscope.

More specifically the invention is in combination with a submarineperiscope, a mounting for a seat, power driven means for turning saidmounting around the axis of the periscope, control means operable by theobserver to control said power means, a driving connection between saidmounting and the periscope so that the periscope is caused to turn aboutits axis in unison with said mounting, and a release device adapted torelease driving connection between said mounting and the periscope whenit is desired to eiiect substantial movement of the periscope in thedirection of its axis relative to said mounting.

The release device preferably releases automatically, and the controlmeans may comprise two pedals operable by the observer. The observersseat is preferably heightadjustable.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described merely by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a seat mounting and a periscope,

FIG. 2 is an elevation in the direction of arrow II, FIG. 1, but withcertain parts broken away for clearness,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view corresponding to FIG. 2, but with theperiscope removed for clearn-ess,

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an electrical control circuit for the drive ofthe periscope,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively side and end elevations of part of thedriving connection.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, AA is the vertical axis of theperiscope. The periscope 4i) is shown in the elevated or workingposition but can be dropped down vertically into the stowed position ina periscope well 31 below the control room deck 32 of the submarine. Theperiscope face plate is shown at 17 having the usual eye pieces 41 andgripping handles 42 which may be used for manually turning the periscopeabout its vertical axis for training on a distant object.

An annular turntable is provided with its centre at the axis A-A andforms a mounting for the observers seat 11 which is verticallyadjustable in a hydraulic 3,229,575 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 cylinder 43.The turntable can be turned around the axis of the periscope by means ofan electric motor 36 operated under control by the observer by pedals 9and 10 to drive a pinion 35 engaging a fixed annular rack 34 providedwith a channel in which rollers 14 run and which carry the turntable 15.

Referring to FIG. 3, the motor 36 is geared to a Kopp variable speedgear or variator 50 operating a worm reduction gear 51 on the undersideof which is the aforesaid pinion 35.

Power is supplied to the electric motor from a cable 23 through brushes22 carried by the turntable and bearing on fixed slip rings 21.

An upstanding sleeve 33 is mounted on the control deck, and the sliprings and associated electrical parts are enclosed in a splash guard 25.

The turntable carries an upstanding framework 13 having at its upper enda projection 19 engaging a vertical guide slot 18a in a dependingtraining bracket 18 mounted on the periscope. Projection 19 (see FIGS. 1and 6) is carried on a spindle 4-4 carrying at one end a flanged wheel45 having an eccentric roller projection 46 adapted to seat in aV-groove 47 at the upper end of plunger 48 which is spring urgedupwardly by a spring 60 (FIG. 5). A stop 49 projects from the face ofthe flanged wheel 45 and has two stop faces shown vertically in FIG. 6adapted to function as hereinafter explained.

Pedal 10 is pivoted about its mid part at 10a and can be presseddownwards or released at one end or the other, to start or stop and toselect clockwise or anti-clockwise direction of drive, while pedal 9controls the speed of drive through variator 50. When pedal 10 ispressed it will depress either plunger R or F (FIG. 4), each of whichwill start the motor 36. Thus if F is depressed contact is broken at Cand then made simultaneously at Y through change-over switches.Alternatively if plunger R is depressed contact is broken at A and madeat X and B.

When the turntable has started to move and it is desired to increase itsspeed, pedal 9 is operated. Downward movement of the forward end pullsconnecting link 52 (FIG. 3) causing operation of the change speed leveron said variator 50, and thus the speed of rotation is increased.Simultaneously a Bowden cable controlled by pedal 9 is released and aspring loaded locking bolt 54 engages and locks pedal 10 so preventingreversal of the motor until the speed control pedal 9 is returned to theposition corresponding to the slowest speed of the variator.

The seat 11 is preferably arranged so that it may be pulled up by theoperator to an elevated position and this opens a valve to allowhydraulic liquid to support the seat in its elevated position. To lowerthe seat a valve is released by the operator through control 11a toenable the seat to be pushed down to the required level, and closure ofthe valve enables the seat to be supported at the new level.

It will be evident that the operator while sitting on the seat mayoperate pedals 9 and 10 to swing the turntable as required and in doingso it automatically turns the periscope in unison with it by means ofprojection 19.

The guide 18a allows a certain amount of upward or downward movement ofthe periscope but normally for cruising purposes very little heightadjustment is necessary.

If, however, the periscope is moved up so that the guide leaves theprojection 19, it might foul the project-ion when the periscope is moveddown again and cause damage or disalignment. Furthermore it is desiredfrom time to time to lower the periscope for stowing into the well 31 inwhich case the abutment 18b on 18 would strike the projection 19.

In either of these events should the periscope thus tend to foul theprojection, the latter is permitted to move downwards out of theoperative position, and on roller 46 leaving groove 47 automatic deadcentering action will occur by the plunger 48 causing the projection 19to swing through 90 until the lefthand face (FIG. 6) on 49 abuts on theplunger whereat the projection 19 will be firmly retained in place.

Alternatively, should the periscope when being raised to the operativeposition cause 18b to foul 19 on the way upwards, the projection isagain swung upwards and by dead centering action is maintained in thevertical position by the righthand face of 49 abutting on the plunger.Handle 55 (FIG. is used for manually moving the projectior1 19 to andfrom the operative position.

We claim:

1. In combination, an upright, axially movable and axially turnablesubmarine periscope, a seat mounting power-driven and guided around theperiscope in a path concentric with the longitudinal axis thereof, andcoupling means for interconnecting the mounting and pericsope to turnthe latter in unison with the mounting, when the latter is driven, saidcoupling means comprising a projection on the mounting and a member onthe periscope having an axially directed slot releasably engaged by saidprojection and of short length relative to the length of the periscope,so that the periscope may be moved axially a predetermined distancewhile the projection remains in engagement with said slot. 2. Thecombination claimed in claim 1, in which there 1s a pivotal connectionbetween said projection and mounting by which said projection is pivotalbetween a substantially horizontal slot-engaging position and an uprightposition in which it is disengaged position from the slot, and saidmember on the periscope has a projectionengageable abutment at one endof said slot which automatically moves the projection to its uprightposition, when moved past same.

3. In combination with an upright, axially turnable submarine periscopemounted so that it may be raised and lowered between a stowed positionand a height-adjustable sighting position, a mounting for an observersseat power-driven and guided around the periscope in a path concentricwith the longitudinal axis of the periscope, and a pin-and-slot drivingconnection between the mounting and periscope by which the periscope isturned axially with the seat mounting when the latter is driven, saidpin being pivotal on the seat mounting between a substantiallyhorizontal slot-engaging position and an upright position in which it isdisengaged from the slot, and said slot being provided on the periscopeand being elongated longitudinally thereof to permit height adjustmentof the periscope in its sighting position and an abutment being providedon the periscope at one end of the slot which automatically moves thepin to its upright position when moved past same.

4. In combination, a periscope and a mounting for an observers seatmounted and interconnected so as to be turnable in unison around acommon axis, the periscope being an upright submarine periscope whichcan be raised and lowered between a stowed position and a heightadjustable sighting position, and said common axis being thelongitudinal axis of the periscope, and the connection between themounting and periscope comprising a memher on the periscope having anaxially directed slot, and a substantially horizontal projection on themounting engaging in said slot which permits height adjustment of theperiscope in its sighting position, said projection being pivotal to anupright position, and said member having an abutment at one end of saidslot which automatically pivots the projection to its upright position,when moved past same.

5. In the combination claimed in claim 4 a powered drive to the seatmounting and control means for said drive comprising two pedals operableby the observer, one for starting and stopping said turning movement inclockwise or anti-clockwise directions, and the other for varying thespeed of turning.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5, in which means is providedautomatically to prevent changes in turning from clockwise oranti-clockwise directions or vice versa unless the speed of turning isat a low value.

7. The combination claimed in claim 4, in which resilient means isprovided urging said projection positively to its slot engaging anddisengaging positions.

8. The combination claimed in claim 5, in which said mounting comprisesan annular turntable, and said powered drive comprises a driven pinionwheel on the turntable engaging a fixed annular rack.

9. In a submarine periscope assembly comprising an upright axiallyextendable and axially turnable periscope adapted to be supported in asubmarine, a mounting for an observers seat, power driven means forturning said mounting around the axis of the periscope in a pathconcentric with the periscope axis, control means operable by theobserver to control said power means, and coupling means forinterconnecting the mounting and the periscope to turn the latter inunison with the mounting when the mounting is turned; said couplingmeans comprising coacting formations on the mounting and the periscope,at least one of said formations being elongated to maintain drivingconnection over a limited range of height adjustment of the periscopewhen the periscope is in a raised position relative to the submarine,and means for releasing the driving connection between said coatcingformations when the periscope is lowered into the submarine to apredetermined extent.

10. The combination according to claim 9, including means for releasingthe drive between said coacting formations when the periscope is raisedto a predetermined extent.

11. A submarine periscope assembly comprising an upright, axiallymovable and axially tnrnable submarine periscope, means for axiallymoving said periscope between a retracted stored position and anextended sighting position, a seat mounting guided for movement aroundthe periscope axis in a path concentric with the periscope axis, powerdriven driving means for driving said seat mounting in said path, andreleasable driving connection means intercoupling said periscope withsaid seat mounting over a limited range of height adjustment of theperiscope when the periscope occupies its extended sighting position forturning the periscope about the longitudinal periscope axis in unisonwith said seat mounting when the latter is driven, said drivingconnection means including means responsive to axial movement of theperiscope for automatically releasing the driving connection betweensaid periscope and mounting over the range of axial movement of theperiscope lying beyond the limits of said limited range of heightadjustment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,032,022 7/ 1912Von Petravic 894l .7 2,331,736 10/1943 Schwab 8871 2,335,286 11/1943Klemperer 88-69 X 2,362,887 11/1944 Corte 38--69 2,366,410 l/1945Klemperer 88-72 X 2,392,851 1/1946 Kasch 894l.7 2,413,685 l/1947 Barnes8937 X 2,453,336 11/1948 Orscr 8872 JEWELL H. PEDERSEN, PrimaryExaminer.

ARTHUR M. HORTON, SAMUEL BOYD, Examiners.

D. D. DOTY, R. F. CUSTARD, P. G. BETHERS,

Assistant Examiners,

1. IN COMBINATION, AN UPRIGHT, AXIALLY MOVABLE AND AXIALLY TURNABLESUBMARINE PERISCOPE, A SEAT MOUNTING POWER-DRIVEN AND GUIDED AROUND THEPERISCOPE IN A PATH CONCENTRIC WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF, ANDCOUPLING MEANS FOR INTERCONNECTING THE MOUNTING AND PERISCOPE TO TURNTHE LATTER IN UNISON WITH THE MOUNTING, WHEN THE LATTER IS DRIVEN, SAIDCOUPLING MEANS COMPRISING A PROJECTION ON THE MOUNTING AND A MEMBER ONTHE PERISCOPE HAVING AN AXIALLY DIRECTED SLOT RELEASABLY ENGAGED BY SAIDPROJECTION AND OF SHORT LENGTH RELATIVE TO THE LENGTH OF THE PERISCOPE,SO THAT THE PERISCOPE MAY BE MOVED AXIALLY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCEWHILE THE PROJECTION REMAINS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SLOT.